Monroeville council approves Range USA indoor shooting range at Mall Boulevard

The Monroeville council on Nov. 11 approved a conditional‑use permit for Range USA to operate an indoor shooting range at 300 Mall Boulevard, resolving a continuation of a public hearing that began the prior week.

The matter had been tabled to let applicants provide additional information about parking, traffic, noise and safety. Kevin Ali, speaking for Range USA, told the council the company would not invest millions in a site where customers would have trouble parking and that the plaza meets the municipality’s retail parking standard (one space per 250 square feet). He displayed aerial photos of comparable operations and said those locations had produced few complaints.

Council heard residents’ questions about safety systems, incident reporting, the percentage of customers who would rent firearms, and sound abatement. Lois Sturmpeller and other residents emphasized that safety and noise were the core concerns. Ali described building‑level mitigations — placing the range on an exterior wall, installing a double vestibule, solid doors with rubber gaskets, bulletproof glass and insulation — and said Range USA tracks incidents internally. He also said he did not have a firm split but ‘‘probably 60/40’’ (his words) in favor of customers bringing their own firearms rather than renting.

The police chief, sworn in before speaking, told council he had contacted an ATF agent, who told him the ATF ‘‘doesn’t get involved in any of the licensing of any type of firearm range’’ and that licensing and regulation are state or local matters. The chief cited other nearby ranges that have operated without reported problems.

After asking for any remaining testimony, council closed the public hearing, moved to approve the conditional‑use application (25‑6‑c) pursuant to Article 5, Section 504 (gun range, indoor) of the Monroeville zoning ordinance, and adopted the motion by roll call. Mayor welcomed the applicant and wished the business luck.

What happens next: the approval permits Range USA to proceed with local permitting and building‑level requirements; the transcript records no additional conditions or required follow‑up reports placed on the applicant at the vote.

Representative quotes from the record: ‘‘We don’t want people being disturbed by extremely loud noises on the retail floor or in the classrooms,’’ Kevin Ali said while describing sound‑containment steps. The sworn chief summarized his conversation with ATF: ‘‘They don’t get involved in any of the licensing of any type of firearm range anywhere in the country. That’s all a state or local issue.’’

The hearing and decision closed a multi‑week review of the application. Council did not record detailed operational conditions or a separate enforcement schedule in the vote as reported in the transcript.